Art wrap bandage

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a decorative medical covering for the protective wrapping of a skin injury or an orthopedic injury. The decorative medical covering is produced by providing a strip of material of a predetermined length and a predetermined width. The material is composed of a plurality of fibers. An aesthetically pleasing image is stored onto a sublimation transferal medium. The image is transferred from the sublimation transfer medium onto the strip wherein the image is permanently incorporated into the plurality of fibers of the material.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to decorative covers for general ororthopedic injuries. When people have injuries dealing withmusculoskeletal system including bones, joints, ligaments, muscles andtendons, physicians utilize specialized mechanical orthopedic devicessuch as casts, braces, splints or bandages to treat these types ofinjuries. Normally for serious bone injuries hard casts are utilized,and for sprains bandages are utilized. Additionally, orthopedicmechanical devices as well as normal bandages are not aestheticallypleasing. The present invention alleviates this problem by providing aprocess and product for decorative covers for orthopedic injuries.

SUMMARY

The present invention provides a decorative medical covering for theprotective wrapping of a skin injury or an orthopedic injury. Thedecorative medical covering is produced by providing a strip of materialof a predetermined length and a predetermined width. The material iscomposed of a plurality of fibers. An aesthetically pleasing image isstored onto a sublimation transferal medium. The image is transferredfrom the sublimation transfer medium onto the strip wherein the image ispermanently incorporated into the plurality of fibers of the material.Sublimation is the process generally used to transfer the image to thefibers of the material. The present invention utilizes the sublimationprocess to create a new decorative covering for a skin injury ororthopedic injury.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrative view of the product on a broken arm.

FIG. 2 is an illustrative view of the product on a broken leg.

DETAILED SPECIFICATION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a decorative medical coveringin accordance with the present invention. FIG. 1 illustrates thedecorative covering wrapped around an injured arm, and FIG. 2illustrates the decorative covering wrapped around an injured leg. Thedecorative covering can be used independently to cover an injury or canbe used as a decorative covering for a cast or another type oforthopedic device.

The decorative covering is produced through the conventional process ofsublimation. The decorative covering is for the protective wrapping of askin injury or an orthopedic injury. The covering comprises a continuousstrip of material of a predetermined length and a predetermined width.The material further comprises a plurality of fibers. In the preferredembodiment, the material can be an elastic or non-elastic syntheticmaterial such as polyester. In alternative embodiments, a texturedtreatment can be applied to the strip material. Additionally, in otherembodiments, the material can be made of non-synthetic material as wellas tape. However, the sublimation process is normally performed onsynthetic materials such as polyester or nylon blends.

An aesthetically pleasing image is stored on a sublimation transfermedium or sublimation paper. The transfer medium is normally a polymercoated transfer paper. The image is transferred from the sublimationtransfer medium onto the strip wherein the image is permanentlyincorporated into fibers of the material. The sublimation process isgenerally done by heat activation which can be at 400 degrees. The heatcauses the image to flash into a gaseous state thereby penetrating anddying the image into the material of the strip. Through the sublimationprocess, the image becomes part of the material.

In other embodiments of the present invention, at least one decorativeobject can be attached to the strip at a strategic position. Theseobjects can be removable attached as well as permanently attached. Theseobjects can be gem stones diamonds, pearls, rubies, imitation diamonds,imitation pearls, gold, silver, birthstones, or any other suitableattractive decorative gemstones.

The decorative covering can also be created by printing the image fromthe computer directly onto the strip of material. Utilizing thisprocess, a sublimation transfer medium is not required. The printer hasthe capability of performing the sublimation process during printing theimage onto the strip of the material whereby the image becomespermanently part of the material which is known as strike-off.

Also, in some embodiments a fastening means can be attached to eachopposite of the strip of material so that it can be secured in placedonce the strip of material once the injury is fully wrapped. Thefastener can be Velcro or another suitable fastening means.

1. A decorative medical covering used to protect a skin injury or anorthopedic injury prepared by the process comprising the steps of:providing a strip of material of a predetermined length and apredetermined width for protective wrapping of an injury, the materialhaving a plurality of fibers; selecting an aesthetically pleasingdecorative image; incorporating the decorative image onto a sublimationtransfer medium, the medium having dimensions to accommodate the widthand length of the strip; and overlaying the medium onto the strip ofmaterial; applying heat to the medium such that the image sublimates topenetrate the fibers bonding the decorative image into the plurality ofthe fibers of the material to create a decorative covering.
 2. Thedecorative covering of claim 1 wherein at least one decorative object isattached to the strip at a strategic position.
 3. The decorative coverof claim 2 wherein at least one decorative object is removably attachedto the strip at a strategic position.
 4. The decorative covering ofclaim 2 wherein the at least one decorative object is gem stones.
 5. Thedecorative cover of claim 1 wherein a textured treatment is applied tothe strip.
 6. The decorative cover of claim 1 wherein the strip ofmaterial is made of a synthetic elastic or non-elastic material.
 7. Thedecorative cover of claim 6 wherein the strip of material is polyester.8. The decorative cover of claim 1 wherein the strip is made of anon-synthetic elastic or non-elastic material
 9. The decorative cover ofclaim 1 wherein the strip is made of a tape material.
 10. The decorativecover of claim 1 wherein a fastening means is attached to each opposingend of the strip of material.
 11. A decorative medical covering used toprotect a skin injury or an orthopedic injury prepared by the processcomprising the steps of: providing a strip of material of apredetermined length and a predetermined width for protective wrappingof an injury, the material having a plurality of fibers; selecting anaesthetically pleasing decorative image; storing the decorative image ina memory of a digital computer; and transferring the decorative imagefrom the memory onto the strip of material such that the decorativeimage penetrates the fibers bonding the decorative image into theplurality of the fibers of the material to create a decorative covering.12. The decorative covering of claim 11 wherein at least one decorativeobject is attached to the strip at a strategic position.
 13. Thedecorative cover of claim 12 wherein at least one decorative object isremovably attached to the strip at a strategic position.
 14. Thedecorative covering of claim 13 wherein the at least one decorativeobject is gem stones.
 15. The decorative cover of claim 11 wherein atextured treatment is applied to a partial segment or the entire stripof material.
 16. The decorative cover of claim 11 wherein the strip ofmaterial is made of a synthetic elastic or non-elastic material.
 17. Thedecorative cover of claim 16 wherein the strip of material is polyester.18. The decorative cover of claim 11 wherein the strip is made of anon-synthetic elastic or non-elastic material